NaNoWriMo and WIP Updates

First off, to any new visitors and followers who’ve recently stopped by from the AW Water Cooler NaNo forum and the NaNoWriMo forums - hello and welcome! I’ve always loved the autumn season and NaNoWriMo just gives me a new reason to be excited as the leaves fall from the trees and I unpack my sweaters/jumpers.

Speaking of new readers and NaNo - I’ve added a Google+ widget, so if you would like to be added to my NaNoWriMo or AW Water Cooler circles, please feel free to add me and drop me a line. I did promised myself, no added social networking until WIP is rewritten, but you know what they say of “the best laid plans…” Yesterday I tossed that promise to the floor, and I went ahead and filled out my Google+ profile for NaNoWriMo. In my defense, it did seem like a fun way to up the social factor of NaNo. When I’m writing, bleary eyed, at 2am, my husband tends to frown on being awakened for discussions on suicidal plot bunnies. Maybe the Google+ NaNoWriMo circle can save my marriage.

I’ve been reviewing my notes for my NaNo novel, Divergent Realms. I absolutely love the ideas and my characters, but I’ve really only completed the character sketches for my MC and her sidekick. I’ve also completed days 1- 5 of the Plot Whisperers daily steps for PlotWriMo. This stuff is all very high-level, and every time I open the documents, I start to rearrange and shift things. Completed a little prewriting, too, where I wrote out a few vivid scenes to help me get my head around some of these ideas. Just ten days until November 1, and I am torn between working hard on finishing up some more character sketches and research and…just going with what I’ve got.

One reason I’m leaning towards leaving WIP2 where it is until NaNo: I’m finally making progress on WIP1’s rewrite. Yes, peeps, I finally finished my new Chapter 1. Rewriting is a hard slog, no doubt about it. Thinking the worst was over after I typed “The End” was dead wrong.

I follow Chuck Wendig’s blog, and he gave some excellent, easily digestible writing advice. One line in particular gave me a little comfort:

“Know that the book will be born during rewrites. When you break its carapace and find the true beast beneath the old ruined skin.”

I’m sure I’ve read something similar (at least in spirit) before, but I think I sort of skimmed over the words and thought to myself, “Sure, sure. That makes sense.” But I didn’t really understand what I was being told then. Now, knee deep in my first novel rewrite, I’m a believer.

So, new Chapter 1 for WIP1 = complete. I think I’m going to revise it before moving on to the next chapter. I don’t know how much of WIP1’s rewrite I can finish before November 1, but I’ve got to channel this momentum while it’s there.

I know there have to be others out there attempting to juggle multiple projects for November - let's hear it...what is your NaNoWriMo schedule?

Posted by Jennifer B. at The Writing Cocoon.